Some Pre-partition Buildings on Kashmir-Egerton Roads Lahore

 11th July 2022

Iqbal Hostel Government college university lahore

  July 3, 2018

“Iqbal Hostel” a.k.a “Quadrangle” was established at the present location in 1891. It had originally been established in a hired accommodation in Mozang called “Phus Ki Khothi”. In 1888, it was shifted from there to another hired accommodation at 48, Lower Mall. In 1891, it shifted to the present building.

The Hostel has had the honor of accommodating great and distinguished personalities of the sub-continent including Prof. A.S Patras Bukhari, Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassam, Dr. Abdus Salam, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Dr. Muhammad Amjad, Dr. Munir Ahmed Khan, Dr. Samar Mubarik Mand and among many others the great Philosopher and our National Poet Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, also remained resident of the Hostel from 1895-1900. To pay homage to the Poet of East and thinker of Pakistan, this hostel was dedicated to him in 1965 and was re-named as “Iqbal Hostel”. In his honor, the hostel has also established “Iqbal Memorial Library”.

My Visit to Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar 2009

 June 20, 2009

The Shrine of Lal Shabaz Qalandar is a shrine and mausoleum dedicated to the 13th-century Muslim and Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The shrine is located in Sehwan Sharif, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The shrine is one of the most important in Pakistan and attracts up to one million visitors annually.

Hindustan Commercial Bank Est 1805, Gobind Ram Building - Rang Mahal, Lahore

Monday, ‎July  ‎11, ‎2022, ‏‎4:55:18 PM

From Majeed Sheikh's Article

Amidst the lively and bustling atmosphere of Rang Mahal in the walled city, a remarkable building stands proudly, adorned with inscriptions that read 'Gobind Ram Kahan Chand' and 'Hindustan Commercial Bank Established 1805' in both English and Urdu. Despite the surrounding commotion created by vendors, gold traders, and crockery merchants, this building remains a tangible piece of history.

Interestingly, the intended purpose of this building, as a branch of the Hindustan Commercial Bank, never came to fruition. The bank, established in 1805, had plans to open a branch in Lahore, and Gobind Ram was one of the partners involved in this endeavor. Majeed Sheikh, a distinguished historian, shared that the Hindustan Commercial Bank Lahore was one of the five branches established in 1805, with its first branch opening in Amritsar. The bank eventually expanded its operations to Bengal on January 2, 1809. In Lahore, two branches were initially planned, one in the walled city and the other in Neela Gumbad.

Recalling the past, Badar Munir Butt, the owner of AL-Sadiq Jewellers, reminisced about his childhood during the time of partition in 1947. Though he was only four years old at the time, he had heard stories about Gobind Ram and the building. His shop stands adjacent to the partially burnt structure. According to Butt, Gobind Ram used to own a shop on the ground floor of the present building. Known for selling achaar (pickles), chatni (chutney), and sharbat (refreshing drinks), Gobind Ram's sharbat was renowned in the area. Considered one of the wealthiest individuals in the vicinity, he was also highly respected. Naturally, his affluence came with a certain level of influence. Before leaving Lahore for India with his family, Gobind Ram stored his money and jewelry in the basement of the same building. Years after the partition, he returned with officials from both India and Pakistan's armies to retrieve the valuables that had been safely kept there. Much to the surprise and disappointment of the neighbors, they discovered that loads of gold and money had been lying in the basement, unbeknownst to them all those years.

An elderly man, who owns a shop in the basement of the building and happens to be one of the oldest residents in the area, shared his recollection of Gobind Ram's sharbat. He described it as "famous, and if one bought it for one takka (a small denomination), they could reach Amritsar, yet the sharbat would never run out." This statement reflects the reputation and popularity of Gobind Ram's sharbat, known for its exceptional taste and seemingly limitless quantity.

The building, with its intriguing history and unique blend of languages engraved on its facade, serves as a silent witness to the vibrant past of Rang Mahal. While the original purpose of housing a bank branch never came to pass, the stories surrounding Gobind Ram and his legendary sharbat continue to captivate the imagination of locals and visitors alike, adding an air of mystique to this remarkable architectural gem.

𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘺 : My Visit to Dargai Hydropower

 October 2012

Dargai Hydropower Plant is a small, low-head, run-of-the-river hydroelectric power generation station with about 20-megawatt generation capacity, located at Dargai, Malakand District, KPK province of Pakistan on the flows of Swat River and about 210 km from Pakistan's Capital Islamabad, 45 km from the city of Mardan.